Monday, May 31, 2010

So, I've been thinking about something. I've been really lax here lately with my weight loss. You've read in the past that I will go along fine and then slowly go back to my old ways, then jerk myself back on path, then slowly drift again. This week is no different. I have no photo this week, and I'm also not going to tell you my weight as it is an embarrassment to all I have been trying to do. I have a plan that I'm thinking of, and I'd like to get some feedback if I could on this. Previously, I mentioned that I don't have a goal weight...that I'm just trying to lose weight period. Well, I think that's part of my problem. Because I don't have a goal, I kinda figure I can do what I want when I want. But I've found in the past that I work better under pressure, so therefore I need something to set my sights on...a deadline per se. So what I need now for feedback is for you guys to tell me what a rational weight loss goal is. Like, say, so many pounds a week? Or should I go monthly? Yearly I think would give me too much slack. I'll try to do some research to see if I can find a normal weight loss. Obviously, I don't want to set a goal too outrageous that I can't possibly reach it, like 50 pounds in a month or something like that. And I also know that my weight loss can and/or will possibly slow down over time, that's why I was wondering what a reasonable number is. Let me know what you guys think and hopefully next week embarrassment will be gone and you'll have a number again from me.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Hey, guys!Not much has been going on, I guess. Well, unless walking in the Relay for Life and having a herniated disc are not much...I guess I'll start with Relay for Life. It was Madison's first year doing it. I was on the team Exxon Cruisers and we were "Cruisin' for a Cure." We did really well, raising over $4,000 for the American Cancer Association. The day of the walk kinda sucked, as it rained nearly the entire time and we were walking on a muddy track. That made for some fun! All in all, though, it wasn't bad. I had screwed up my back earlier in the week, so I had decided to try to walk earlier, in case I wanted/needed to go home. I had asked the doctor if I could still walk in it. She said I might regret it later, but I would be able to. Well, I regretted it. Not completely, mind you. It was fun to be out there...there was live music and just talking with people was cool. What I regretted was stepping in a hole...HARD, and then I had to go sit down. But I walked with my friend and co-worker, April, and we had a good time. She told me later that she had stayed the entire night (it went from 5:00pm Saturday evening to 7:00am Sunday morning). I was there from about 2:30pm to 9:30pm (I got there early, obviously).As far as my back goes...I was doing laundry last Thursday. LAUNDRY, of all things. We have a stackable washer and dryer. Well, I bent over to put a new load in the washer and immense PAIN shot into my back. I immediately stood up, trying to alleviate it, but I found I couldn't stand up very straight. Mike had left for work about an hour prior to this, so I knew I couldn't call him to come back. I decided to go lie down on the couch to try to straighten myself out. It helped, but as soon as I moved, I hurt all over. I managed to get up and finish getting the laundry started. The next day I had to work again, but when I woke up, I could hardly move, so obviously I called in sick. Later that day, I was able to call the doctor and make an appointment. She said that with how it happened and where it was hurting, I had herniated a disc in my back. So she perscribed me some really good drugs and told me not to do a lot of heavy lifting (ummm...HELLO! I'm a groomer...of animals...sometimes really BIG animals!). *sigh*So, after that, obviously I wasn't able to get to the gym for a couple days, though I did walk for an hour on Saturday. So I gained back two pounds making me 238 again. Dang, I can't get past that number! I've decided to take it easy and not go to the gym for a little while. On the bright side of things, the doctor did give me a few exercises I can do for my back, which coincidentally are core exercises, which coincidentally are what I need to be doing to try to tone my middle. So, in a way, me hurting my back is a good thing, right? ;-)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Howdy!I hope all is well with you guys. I had kind of an action-packed week this past week...well, more like weekend. On a side-note before I get started...Eric, I was telling you before that my clothes are fitting better. The ultimate confirmation was when I went to karaoke last Tuesday. I decided to wear my black button-down shirt that you can roll up the sleeves. I haven't worn that shirt in FOREVER because it would always gap and pull. I decided I would try it on, and if it still was doing that, I would choose another top. Guess what...it fit BEAUTIFULLY! No gapping! Hallelujah!So Saturday mom threw Mike and me a housewarming party. It wasn't too much of a "party" unfortunately as many people couldn't make it. But family came, and it was fun all the same. Mom made the food which, of course, was AWESOME! I ate a lot of it. :-/ I had a lot of the fruit and veggies, though, so it wasn't bad. Those honey yum-yums are disasterous, though! It was a pounding, which is when everyone brings a pound or so of something. We now have rice, pasta, apples, and oranges to last us to the next millenium, I believe.Sunday was a really nice day out, and thankfully I didn't have to work that evening as usual, so Mike and I decided to take the dogs to the park. Unbeknownst to us, Yowell Meadow Park in Culpeper has a one-mile nature trail in the back of it. We came upon it and were standing there, when Mike asked me, "You wanna give it a go?" I shrugged and said, "Sure! Why not?" So we went hiking with the dogs. It was a gorgeous trail. And the dogs loved it. Well, Lady more than Sprite. Sprite is not a "walking" dog. She is such a princess! It wasn't long before her pulling and tugging at the leash slowed down and her back end started drooping. I had to carry her every now and then. Finally, we came to the Daughters of the American Revolution Memorial. We were walking up the hill to it when I couldn't go any further. Sprite had plopped herself down in the shaded grass and wouldn't budge! I had a bottle of water with me and poured it in front of her face until she lapped at it. I passed the bottle to Mike for Lady, who proceeded to take the end of the bottle in her mouth and tipped her head back, just like you see horses do with whiskey bottles in the old Westerns! We headed back, finally making it out to the actual park itself. As we were making our way back to the car, Sprite was doing something funny. Every time we came up on a shady area, she'd start to slow down and drift toward the grass, sinking her body as she went. I'd give a tug and encourage her on, but the next shady spot she started to drift again. From the first time I started carrying her, I started putting words in her mouth..."I am not used to this strenuous activity! I'm a pure-bred show dog! I'm far too cute to be out here hiking the backwoods like some mutt!" (she's a cocker spaniel and Lady is a German Shepherd/Australian Shepherd mix, by the way)So, after all that, I weighed in Monday at 236. Two more pounds gone! Woot!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Well, I'm a little more chipper this entry. I have pictures, which I'll post at the end of this post.

In response to comments made on my last post...

Eric: Yes! My clothes are fitting better. I feel it and my coworkers all see it! I have to wear a belt to work. This is not new, as even though my pants were tight before I started losing weight, they still kept gradually sliding down throughout the day. But when I started this weight loss, I was on the very last hole. I'm almost to the third one in now! And my coworkers tell me about every other week that my scrubs look like they're not as tight, especially in the shoulders. Every now and then I feel energized, especially right after I've worked out. I feel really good about myself and my body. And I've found a way to pass the time while working out. Remember "Week #7" I kept having to convince myself to keep working out? Yeah, they have TVs there, but I don't always like what's on during my time there, so instead I put it on a music channel and read! I can't believe how fast the time goes!

Danielle: Thanks for the vote of confidence! I wanted to tell you, though, that yes, overall I did set a high bar, but at the same time every little pound less makes me feel great! I don't know if you've ever heard of the John Tesh Radio Show (it comes on 95.1 down here at 7:00 pm). He gives really great advice on nearly every topic. One time I was listening to it and he was talking about weight loss. He said to not look at the big picture (i.e. me getting down to 200 or even 175) but to set little goals, like 5 or 10 pounds at a time. Then it won't seem like that much and that way you don't get discouraged. I guess that's what I'm doing now. Every pound lost thrills me, but when I get down 5 or 10 pounds, I'm ecstatic! And I have a question for you: Which is better--working on one piece of equipment and working off twice as many calories or burning half the calories, but working on two different pieces of equipment? For example...the elliptical for half an hour burns twice as many calories as doing one hour (half an hour each) on the bike and the treadmill. Just wondering...you know, get a doctor's take.

And to all of you (both commenters and readers): Thank you all SOOOOOO much for being there for me. You have no idea how much it means to me!

So, this week's weight is...238! Even though I'm only back down to that daggone number, at least I was able to lose what I had gained, right? I feel like those little toy cars that you pull backwards and then let go and they shoot forward, then stop and you have to pull them back again. Well, I just had to be pulled back a little, so now I can shoot forward!

Sorry for the scrub top. I stopped by mom and dad's after work and remembered that I needed to post pictures for you guys. But look, guys...I'm smiling!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

First of all, I'd like to let you all know that there's some disappointment with this blog entry. For one, I forgot to get Mike to snap a picture of me, so I'll have to wait until next week to post one. Another is that, not only have I not lost weight, but I have gained back some weight yet again. I gained back two pounds, making it 240. And this very reason is why I always end up quitting. I get to a plateau or I start yo-yoing and I figure it's not worth it, so I stop. I'm not making excuses for myself, I know that it's my own fault. I can't blame this on mom's good food! I've kept to my not-eating-after-eight rule, but I've gradually started back to nibbling here and there and starting to screw up my portions again. I also haven't been pushing myself as much at the gym. I think I've told you that I've started the elliptical. It's great, because it's burning more calories, but because of that, I figure I don't need to stay the full hour I use to. I'm slowly going back to my old ways.But I like what I've been doing. I've never lost so much weight. And they say that if you diet/exercise for over three or four weeks, you'll be more likely to stick with it. Well, I'm twice that time frame, and I'm not ready to quit yet. I WILL lose the weight I've gained this past week and more by next week. I know it!